Small Cafeteria

She, sitting in a cozy chair by the window, watching out side the raindrops falling from the tree branch over the little coffee shoppe. Inside it was dimly lighted with warm color spreading on the walls and corners all dark. Small yellow bulbs of less watt were lighted over each sitting arrangement. Though it was day time, yet it looked late in the evening due to the weather oitside.

“Your hot Mocca with Choclate”. As she turned towards the sound, the waiter was moving away from the table. “Excuse me! Can I have a cheese sandwich? With extra cheese and a pinch of black pepper?” The waiter nodded with a smile.” Thank you.” Was her short and curt reply.

She was enjying her coffee when her attention wandered to a car which was parked just opposite to the caffe. As she was wondering what he might be doing here at this time, a tear rolled down her cheek and before she could wipe it off with her cold fingers on a pale palm, a scented white handkerchief swiped it off and a warm deep voice said ” If you don’t mind, I would like to treasure it. And hope am not the reason behind it?” She startlingly looked towards him. Now he was sitting opposite to her and signalling the waiter for coffee.

Waiter kept the piping hot brew and moved away. Slowly he covered her palm placed on table beside her coffee mug, with his own. ” Why don’t you just leave me alone?”She whispered. ” I just can’t. Without you there is no meaning to my life and you know that very well, don’t you?” “Now don’t say you don’t believe me.” Without giving her a chance to speak he completed his sentence. “No actually I was thinking instead of lingering on to you if I gather courage to move out of your life, it would be better for all of us.” She looked away from his face to hide tears welling up in her eyes again. Now he pulled her hand little towards him and holded it between his hands. And in a very soft requesting voice said ” Please never ever think of leaving me. I know what I did to you is unforgivable but I love you the most. You are my better half, mother to my children and the amazing lady after my mother.” “But day by day the fact that you not only cheated me, but also married that girl secretly and above all that you live her… Love her! That is the most painful part. I am not able to understand how? How did it all happen?” Silience prevailed, she expected the same old explanation from him ir few words here and there, new but not this silience.

” When you say I cannot leave her or when you put conditions for me on fulfilling which you might stop talking to her or seeing her, kills me daily. Knowing that my husband is not only mine, I have a sharing partner kills me.” Crying bitterly she spoke all at once, in a very low voice trying to control herself. He clasped her hand more tightly and bend over a little more in an attempt to rest his head on her already bend head. But he could not say anything, he knew there was no answer to her questions. But he could not ket her go….from his life for ever. How could he? She was his true love. What if he was not her’s but she was someone he couldnot find in whole lifetime. She happened to him and anotherone, he brought her in. Compared to this sober and forgiving lady, that younger beautiful business partner,whom he had married was nothing. This lady sitting in front of him with all her glory and abundant love in her heart for him, never doubted him once, had blindly trusted and another one never trusted him even with her open eyes though she sweared her love for him. “What the hell have I done? To you…to us?!” With throat full of tears he whispered. “I cannot live without you cannot leave her either. Won’t ever be happy if I let you go.” Was all he managed to say before a big silience again leapt.

“I cannot make my castle of love and happiness on someone’s tears and cursings. Its better that I leave you people and stay away…so that you can overcome your sense of guilt and be happy. My heart will always love you and only you. Because I believe you’re my soulmate, my twin and my only lovein every life, if there is such thing, but this time we are mistakenly born togather in wrong lifetime. This is the only explaination I can give to console myself and my aching heart. I know it may sound foolish but I need something to lean on.” She spoke soberly after composing herself.

“Dont say that please….how many times do I have to prove that you are my first priority, that I love you….the most.” First he pleaded then got bit irritated.

“Sob”…..”let me have the kids. They are my only reason to live and above all memoir of you…” He shut her mouth with his warm passionate kiss that was brief one. Tears rolled down her cheeks and this time none tried to wipe them. The rain outside had stopped and their coffees were cold and the cheese sandwich was half eaten and forgotten too, with the coffee.

She looked arround if anybody was looking at them but no one was free to eardrop plus the next table was at a distance which gave privacy to people sitting there and talking in normal pitch. He signalled for the bill.

Coffee

Oh I know its not a new topic here on my blog as I already did 2 before this one. Or may be 3. But as the matter of fact , I am obsessed with the word coffee and the liquid itself, I can’t stop writing about it or getting inspired by it. It basically gives me a high feel. I mean when I am with my best pal, my coffee mug…I feel on top of the world. It makes me feel so content and satisfied that there is nothing in the world that can make me so fulfilled. Apart from my family ofcourse, but then living beings have a tendency to turn you down sometimes or the other no matter how close they are, but this darling of mine is just the same everytime i meet her. It wont complain of meeting after a long time or not meeting at all….or such things but will make me feel possitive everytime I am in the company. It always fills me with positive thoughts and make feel light hearted.

Today 8 habe two things to share with you, one, that my hubby got me two varieties of coffee from the coffee plantation estate he went to, for his work and bought me a coffee plunget, I was dreaming to get from quite a some time now. And the overwhelming reaction of mine hasn’t stopped till now, though coupl of days have passed snce I first hold in my hands. The mere thought of it makes me bubble with joy and the smioe starts to curve my lips. The amazing thing is that with these two new addition in coffee stack I have 5 varieties at my disposal to cater my mood. I am so happy with this knowladge that its just making me write about coffee on the verge of making others fright(because I dont think anyone might be writing that much on a go or so many posts on s8ngoe subject with same old feeling, of happiness ofcourse.😆). I made coffee the whole day tomorrow for everyone and even was looking forward to guests who might turn up or should I invite them, was my quetion to my Mom in Law, over a coffee party…to which she was frightened and tried to pulled a hold on my edginess, lovingly petting on my shoulder and making fun of me. She too enjoyed the varieties of coffee I made.

The second thing which I want to share is an inspiration from Youtube video which showed an old British lady may be 80 years or so, doing salsa with a jaw dropping performance. All the judges were so dumbstruck by her performance that they couldn’t utter a word while she was in action. And when at last she told her story that how she had to give up her passion which she nurtured since she was a tod, after marriage and sattle in another country and her beloved husband passed away in just 18 months of them moving there and how she had look after her 4 children and take care of everything that when after years her children grew up she asked them if she can persue her career in dance and they all, as they are adorable children f adorable parents, encouraged their mother who once uad giben up all her dreams to upbring them. Now it was her time and there she stood in front of the judges and the audience of Britain Got Talent stage with the golden buzzer press3d for jer without a second thougt or even and further comments. This lady there has become my inspiration. I love her and adore her for being so courageous and not letting her dreams and hopes go away even after such a long time. I will stick to my dream and my hopes go. I will certainly do that onething I dreamt of, at any age…now onwards I wont think or feel disheartened by the fact that my age may not let me do or won’t suit to me after I am older…necause dreams dont have age limit they live long enough to be fulfilled. Its us who give up hope putting forth many excuses to hide our holessness. So from now on I am going to cling harder to my dream and will keep nudgging myself whenever I start loosing hope.

Hat’s off to you grand maa and my dearest coffee to keep smiling and believing that there is always a sunshine no matter how dark is the night.

A journal

Sunday …. its a perfect day today. Drizzling outside and we on a trip to country… Amazing day actually. Its a family gathering there and a feast.

Excited to meet all after a long time. Its a 1 and a half hour journey but bit tiring and exhausting dor children,they are gwtting bored. My teenage niece is having hard rime travelling andmy little kidos are really making it hard for me to stay calm. My little girl is nonstop talking, singing and making mischief and my little young man is getting irritated with everything. My hubby’s cousin is driving very patiently ignoring all the disturbance. My father in law is speaking monosyllables when and where required. I am passing my time by writing this journal.

I am bit sad because my loving husband couldnot make it as he has a busy schedule for the whole week. I am gonna miss him a lot, infact I have already started missing him.

Tomorrow is again Monday and a full hectic one too as its exam time for my children. And I am not sure when will I return.

Apart from all this the scene out of the car window is very engaging. All lush greens with orange, pink, yellow flowers blooming. Grey sky above and colorful greens below, cool breeze blowing. Water filled bodies here and there in the fields. White birds taking a stroll in the fields, people enjoying rides on bikes. It seems as if they too want to be partakers in the merrymaking of the nature. There are families enjoying day on the roadside. Reaping in some of the fields is going on. There is nothing lese to be seen on either sides of the road except vast breen fields stretching from one corner of the sky to the other and far behi d those fields on either sides are hills outling them.

We are nearing our destination and I am thankful for such a beautiful break. Hope you too enjoyed the trip with me.

A lesser known heritage of city of Nawabs

I know I am a history buff and whenever I get to know something new of interesting I share it here, may be some of you wont like it or just ignore the post but its worth documenting, so I write it down her.

The place about which I am going to describe here is worth knowing and I myself was waiting to visit it but on the purpose of shooting it for my new you tube channel but when I got to know the history of this place I am dying to visit it solely for quenching my thirst for historical romances and my admiration of British era. I know some people might find it weird me being admirer of that shameful period but still I cannot help it. So not bothering everyone with my idea of romanticizing history, I will straight away tell you what I discovered.

For me love in true sense is very vast and the type of love I am referring to here is kind of Romeo Juliet, where Romeo is a General of British Army and Juliet is part of Royal family of Hyderabad (India), though its not new for this city to be associated with such kind of love, which is now a days found in books or should I say is historical. For the establishment of the very city is based on the love story between Qutubshahi Prince of Golkonda and the courtesan dancer Bhagmati, whom later prince married and renamed her Hyder Begum and on her name the city first was called Bhagnagar  then later Hyderabad. So, as we all know the British in India controlled the empire through East India Company. And whosoever was appointed as British Resident in any city of the country hold their office by the name of British Residency, where actually they had their residence, office and staff.  This is the true story of a love affair between a British Resident and Princess of the estate.

The story goes like this, The sixth British resident to Hyderabad court, Lt. Col. James Achilles Kirkpatrick who became more of Indian Mughal, influenced by the Nizams of Hyderabad and wore Mughal style clothes and English etiquettes turned to dance parties of Nizams. He fall in love with the grand niece of Diwan of Hyderabad, Khair-un-Nissa and wanted to marry her. Even in present day scenario of Indian society, love marriages are not taken easily so imagine the 2 century back Indian society, that too inter religious marriage! The Muslim officials said no for the marriage. To this James Agreed to change his religion and marry Khair-un-nissa according to muslim law. The permission was granted and he married her and got residency constructed.

The couple had two surviving children named Mir Gulam Ali Sahib Allum aka William and his sister Noor-un-Nissa Sahib Begum aka Kitty, who were sent to England in early age and never saw their parents back again as soon after their departure both parents died.

James Kirkpatrick was sort of double agent to the Nizams, who didn’t want to surrender their estate to British. Knowing this the East India Company called him to Calcutta and removed him from the Resident’s position. He fell ill and in a year he died in Calcutta. The Begum was widowed at a very young age. later she also succumbed to her broken heart. But still the token of their love The British Residency, reminds of Col.’s true love.

The residency is one of the finest piece of architecture of British East India Company. It is built in the form of Palladian style in north front just like its counter part in US , The White House the only difference being, its color is bright cream. The Corinthian Pillars are 40 feet high, two majestic lions welcome at the main entrance. The south front is made in Indian style. The main building has nearly 200 or so rooms out of which 52 were Resident’s and guests bedroom, 78 bathrooms and rest staff office. The compound has one Zenana(ladies) building where Khair-un-Nissa resided as she entertained veil system. In the compound area there were other quarters also. The main attraction of the compound area was the miniature of the residency itself, built mainly for the Begum, so that she can see the whole building including front, without coming out of her veil.

The miniature was in a very bad condition but recently it has been restored to maximum beauty. The building was converted to girl’s college in 1949. Now the court order has changed the status and ordered the Archeological department to take care of it. And soon it might be turned to museum or may be completely opened to the public.

The internal grandeur can only be explained through the pics, because no words can justify the architectural beauty it possesses. Recently during the restoration work it has come out that there is more to that which is visible. As the original shape of square rooms was turned to oval, the north facing openings were closed and turned to south, etc. The reason being the shift of British office from Hyderabad to North. And the Residency was used by the Nizams its seems.

What attracts me towards it more than its architecture is the depth of the love he felt for his begum, that he gave away his belief system, faith and everything he valued and turned to her religion not bothering about the consequences which cost him his life at the end. And she on her part left this world full of life and comfort for her beloved and bid good bye to the world at a young age. That is love.

This historical love story and the center of attraction Col. James Achilles Kirkpatrick is immortalized by William Dalrymple in his book White Moghuls: love’s betrayal in eighteenth centaury India which has been filmed in the same location. After the court’s order to renovate the building, the college has asked the old alumnus to send the pics of past if they have so that it can be restored to its original glory. After hearing this many have sent old pics. Even someone anonymous has sent $ 1 million as donation for the restoration. Its believed that may be some fan of the college has done this but I fancy to believe that may be some descendant of children of Col and Khair-un-Nissa who don’t want to be recognized might have sent.

The life in that mansion in that era might have been something worth living for. As I already told British era does attracts me. I can feel the time and whatever happened there as if I am present in that particular time. I have lived in such british mansion once in my childhood and believe me it gave me shivers every time I imagined who all would have lived in there and how they would have acted. Its a nostalgia for me just to think of that time period. I wont bore you with all my story but would try to go to this place and get the pics of present time after the restoration. Hope you like this and and the pics too.